Chairperson Beckman ruled that in the absence of additions or corrections, the Minutes were approved as distributed.

3. REPORTS OF OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

A. Announcements:

Chairperson Beckman announced that the Faculty Senate meeting would be immediately followed by a reception at the University Club. She thanked Dean Richmond and Vice Provost Gandel for sponsoring the reception.

Chairperson Beckman said that whatever upcoming holiday individuals may or may not celebrate, she hoped that everyone enjoys the season and she wished them a very happy and healthy new year as well.

B. Vice Chairperson Hollinshead announced that the minutes of Executive Committee Meetings #10 through #12 appeared on pages 3-10 of the Agenda. She asked if there were any questions. There were none.

C. Vice Chairperson Hollinshead said that the minutes of the October 2, 2003 meeting of the JSPC appeared on page 11 and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

Questions ensued about the minutes of the November 6, 2003 meeting, which had been posted earlier but had not been included in the Agenda.

D. Vice Chairperson Hollinshead reported that at the October 30 Faculty Senate Meeting the proposed Small Research Vessel Policy had been referred back to the Executive Committee for consultation and clarification. She announced that this had been done and that there were no objections to the policy as written.

Vice Chairperson Hollinshead said that the Small Research Vessel Policy appeared on pages 12-13 of the Agenda and moved approval. The motion carried.

E. Vice Chairperson Hollinshead explained that at the previous meeting the Senate had requested copies of President Carothers' November 4, 2003 memorandum to the JSPC on Academic Organization. She said that the memo and the Council of Dean's Report been included on pages 14-19 of the Agenda and that this time has been set aside for discussion.

B. President Carothers expressed his appreciation to everyone and wished them the best of the holiday season. He said that after the well-deserved break, he hoped they all would return refreshed for the semester ahead.

President Carothers announced that the search for a Vice President for Administration was continuing through the following week and encouraged everyone to attend the interviews and provide the Search Committee with their comments. He said that each of the candidates was very different in experience and background and he hoped people would take advantage of the opportunity to meet each of them.

The President asked if there were any questions. There were none.

5. REPORTS OF STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

A. Professor Kaufman presented the Four Hundred Eighteenth Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee, which appeared on pages 20-23 of the Agenda. He said that Section I was informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

Professor Kaufman said that Section II required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval. The motion carried.

Professor Kaufman announced that Section III was a joint report of the Curricular Affairs Committee and Graduate Council on 400-level courses. He said that part A was informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none

Professor Kaufman said that part B required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval. The motion carried.

B. Vice Provost Trubatch presented Curricular Report No. 2003-04-1A from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate: Post-baccalaureate Certificate Program in Polymers, which appeared on pages 24-26 of the Agenda. She then moved approval of Report 2003-04-1A.

Following discussion, the motion carried.

C. Vice Provost Trubatch presented Curricular Report No. 2003-04-4 from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate, which appeared on page 27 of the Agenda and moved approval. The motion carried.

D. Vice Provost Trubatch announced that the Report of the Council for Research: Recommendation for Continuing Status for the URI Transportation Center, appeared on pages 28-31of the Agenda was being withdrawn at that time for further consultation and consideration.

6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Chairperson Beckman asked if there was any unfinished business. There was none.

7. NEW BUSINESS

Chairperson Beckman asked if there was any new business.

A. Senator Feldman moved that the Ad Hoc Committee on Admissions to the Providence Campus be asked to address the issues of quality and resources that had been raised at the November 20 Faculty Senate Meeting and to report to the Faculty Senate in March.

Discussion ensued.

During discussion, several editorial suggestions and friendly amendments were agreed-upon by the Senate.

After discussion, the following motion as revised was approved.

That the Faculty Senate establish a committee to address the issues of quality, staffing, and resource allocation raised at the November 20 meeting of the Faculty Senate during the discussion of the Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Admissions to the Providence Campus and report back to the Faculty Senate by March 25, 2004. As part of its consideration of these issues, the committee shall consult all of the units that would be affected by a change in admissions policy.

The membership of this committee may include members of the original committee as well as others recommended by the Executive Committee and/or the Provost, for example, members from departments that were listed in the original report as already providing undergraduate majors or those that might potentially provide undergraduate majors in Providence, or those whose accreditation might be affected by this proposal.

It was understood that this would include students coming directly from high school as well as those transferring to URI from other institutions.

It was further understood that the issue of admissions to the Providence Campus is separate from admissions to the College of Continuing Education.

The committee was asked also to consider possible scenarios and the role of general education offerings in Providence.

Chairperson Beckman asked if there was any further new business.

B. Discussion ensued with regard to the Minutes of Executive Committee Meeting #14, which had not been included in the Agenda but had been posted earlier in the week.

When the discussion ended, Chairperson Beckman reminded everyone that a reception at the University Club sponsored by Dean Richmond and Vice Provost Gandel immediately followed the meeting and she encouraged everyone to attend.